Martell Buckley gets prison time for 2012 killing at Rockford gas station

Monday

Apr 21, 2014 at 11:33 AMApr 21, 2014 at 3:57 PM

By Jeff KolkeyRockford Register Star

ROCKFORD — Martell L. Buckley will spend nearly four decades in prison for the May 2012 shooting death of 18-year-old Dwayne C. Buchanan Jr.

Buckley, 25, hung his head and shook it in disbelief Monday as Judge John Truitt sentenced him to 37 years in prison.

Truitt said that what started as a fist fight Buckley picked with Buchanan ended with bloodshed and gunfire from multiple handguns outside the BP Amoco gas station, 3721 Auburn St.

“Paula Collier lost a son,” Truitt said. “The defendant’s family will lose for some time a son, brother and nephew.”

Buckley apologized to Buchanan’s family during an emotional sentencing hearing. Buckley’s family sent Truitt letters asking for a lenient punishment.

Truitt said although a jury in December hadn’t found enough evidence to prove Buckley had personally fired the shots that killed Buchanan, it had still convicted him of first-degree murder for his role in the killing.

And Truitt said a sentence greater than the minimum was required because Buckley had been previously convicted in a 2004 armed robbery and is suspected in two more armed robberies.

Buckley will get credit for 625 days already served in jail and must serve 100 percent of his 37-year sentence.

Given Buckley’s criminal history and the jury’s specific finding that Buckley had not been proven guilty of personally shooting Buchanan, Assistant Public Defender Steven Lee asked for a 20-year sentence, the minimum.

Lee’s request for a new trial was previously rejected.

Lee said he plans to appeal the conviction and sentencing.

“Someone else shot and killed Dwayne Buchanan Jr., and Martell was convicted,” Lee said. “Based on that, I felt he should have gotten the minimum.”

Rico Jefferson, 24, pleaded guilty April 1 to aggravated discharge of a firearm and was sentenced to six years in prison in connection with Buchanan’s death. Murder and other charges were dropped in exchange for the plea.